What’s the deal with green juice? I’ve been seeing more and more folks carrying it around in their mason jars and at first thought it was just a spirulina crazy, but then I acquired a great fancy juicer from a friend of mine and discovered the deliciousness of green juice for myself. It’s appropriate I discovered green juice in the first month of spring, the season of the Wood element. In Five Element theory of wellness, the body’s meridians are divided into different elements which correspond with the seasons and rhythms of nature. The Liver and Gall Bladder meridians are the yin and yang of Wood, and they manage and direct the our bodily functions and qi. The Institute of Five Element Acupuncture explains:
“Wood is the energy of youth and growth: a new beginning, a vision of a whole new cycle. The Wood energy of spring is an expression of life at its strongest. If we have followed nature’s way and taken a winter rest, we too emerge into spring “raring to go,” with clear vision and a sense of purpose…..
The liver function is called the Official of Strategic Planning, the grand architect for our vision of the future; this official sees the directions we must take to live our lives in harmony with nature. Its companion, the Gall Bladder Official, gives the ability to make decisions and judge wisely…..The Wood element within us governs our sense of vision, the emotion of anger, and the sound of shouting. When vision is stifled, we feel anger: we’ve made our plan, decided to act, taken aim, and suddenly our plans are thwarted…..If our Wood is healthy, we can readjust and begin again.”
One great way to keep our Wood healthy is by eating foods that strengthen Liver and Gall Bladder – the key words to remember are fresh, green, and sour – and you can get a bunch of these flavors in homemade green juices. The smoothie camp sometimes frowns on juicers, but I have room in my heart for both. MindBodyGreen.com has a great infographic on Juicing vs. Blending that explains the benefits of both. The main issue brought up with juicing is that you miss out on the fiber, but my Spring Pear Cilantro juice recipe below includes tips on how to make use of the fibers for a complete springtime meal.
Spring Pear Cilantro Juice
3 kale leaves
8 asparagus spears
[juice these two first, pull the fibers out of the catch and put to the side]
1/2 bunch cilantro**
3 stalks celery
4 small ripe pears
1/3 lemon
2 thumbs of fresh ginger root
Makes about 2 cups of juice.
Add kale and asparagus fiber to 3 scrambled eggs and salt and pepper cook on low for a delicious protein and fiber packed scramble to eat with your green juice.
**Note: if cilantro tastes like soap to you, or you want a variation, substitute parsley, which is also delicious juiced.
Mountain Zen Shiatsu 